Weed suppression of living mulch in sugar beets

Publication Type: Journal contribution (peer reviewed)
Authors: Kunz C., Sturm D.J., Peteinatos G., Gerhards R.
Year of publication: 2016
Published in: Gesunde Pflanzen
Pubisher: Springer
ISBN / ISSN / eISSN: 0367-4223
DOI: 10.1007/s10343-016-0370-8
Page (from - to): 145-154

Abstract

Weed suppression in sugar beets (Beta vulgaris.) is commonly achieved with two to three post-emergent herbicide applications across the entire field. Field studies were performed, in order to investigate the weed suppressing ability of Medicago lupulina, Trifolium subterraneum and a mixture of Lolium perenne and Festuca pratensis as living mulches in sugar beet at four locations in South Germany during 2014 and 2015. Living mulches were sown 2 and 30 days after sowing (DAS) of sugar beet. Weed densities ranged from 0 to 143 plants m−2 with Chenopodium album, Polygonum convolvulus and Polygonum aviculare being the most abundant weed species. It has been found that living mulches could reduce herbicide input up to 65 %. Weed suppression of living mulch was highest with Trifolium subterraneum (71 %). The early sown living mulches (2 DAS) revealed a 28 g m−2 higher biomass compared to late sowing (30 DAS). However, no any linear correlation was found between living mulch biomass and weed suppression. White sugar yield (WSY) was highest in the herbicide treatments (12.6 t ha−1). Trifolium subterraneum yielded the highest WSY of the living mulches with 11.1 t ha−1 across all locations. Our work reveals that living mulch can play a major role in integrated plant protection by reducing herbicides in sugar beet production.

Involved persons

Involved institutions

Weed Science